Glossary

Apps are small user interface components that can be built interactively using the Image-Pro 10 scripting environment. Apps can largely be created without coding by combining macros and commands using the toolbox, thus allowing you to provide end-users with specialized user interfaces tailored to control specific processes.

Command arguments are used to control the flow of data in a macro. They are usually controlled using variables which are passed from command to command using the Run() function. Command arguments often represent the images or sets of images being processed by a command, as well as the output created if any.

Commands are the building block used to create scripting macros. They typically represent user actions that can be performed interactively in the product, and are also used when recording. Commands have properties and arguments.

Automation libraries gather all the classes and functions used to automate Image-Pro 10. There are different types of libraries for the various automation levels exposed by Image-Pro 10, ranging from the high level automation commands all the way down to the low level Image Processing Object Model.

Basic macros are simply subroutines that can be easily called from several locations in the Image-Pro 10 user interface, including the Project Workbench, the Project Explorer and the Automate ribbon.

Projects are used to gather all the information about a specific set of macros, themselves contained in modules. The modules are the files containing the code, and the project is the container for these files. Projects are loaded as a whole, which means that switching from design to run mode applies to all modules contained in the project. Project can also be packaged into a single self-contained project package file, which can be encrypted if necessary and shared with other Image-Pro 10 Users.

Command properties are command characteristics that can be edited interactively in the macro designer. They describe the various parameters allowing you to adjust the command behavior, for example the size of a filter, the name of a file, or some boolean value controlling image visibility.

The Image-Pro 10 scripting language is the engine that drives Premier automation. Mostly compatible with Microsoft Visual Basic .NET, it is a simple, modern and standard object oriented programming language. It offers an interpreted environment, where most features can be automated using simple subroutines called macros. It also offers the option of compiling your projects for computer intensive operations.

Scripting macros are special macros often created by recording user actions, and which can be edited using a graphical macro designer, allowing you to view and configure all the macro commands at a glance.

Variables are used to parameterize scripting macros, either by containing values to be assigned to command properties or the most often by driving the macro data flow from command to command.

The Project Workbench is the Image-Pro 10 Scripting IDE (Integrated Development Environment), which is the tool used to create, edit and package automation projects. It leverages all the features and concepts described in the following sections to provide the Image-Pro 10 user with advanced image analysis automation capabilities.